Rank Benning's 7th Worst Move

[ginner classic]

Not trading Dan Hamhuis was rated Benning's 6th worst move.

#1 Erik Gudbranson Trade (In) (35.2%)
#2 Loui Eriksson Contract (41.6%)
#3 Drafting Juolevi (41.3%)
#4 Ryan Kesler Trade Return (19.4%)
#5 Lawrence Gilman Firing (Tiebreaker)
#6 Dan Hamhuis Not Traded (29.4%)

What is number 7?

Click to read more...

 

[tradervik]

Voted for Sam Gagner. The contract was bad. Sending him to the AHL to play for Toronto's farm team was bad. Trading him for Ryan Spooner was bad. Triple badness.

Add the post Nielson trade goalie fiasco to the list.

 

[jimmythescot]

There are so many bad individual moves that I would love to vote for, but doubt I'll get a chance. I see Weisbrod's name: I click.

 

[Snatcher Demko]

Sutter trade. Just a bad scouting job on a player everyone knew about - and then tried to force him into a 2C role that he was obviously not capable of fulfilling. Foundational my ass.

Gave up the equivalent of a 1st and 2nd round picks for a horrible return.

 

[rypper]

The complete and utter mismanagement of Utica. Jim Benning could not care less about the Canuck's farm team.

I mean we haven't really put anyone there prospect wise to be developed but if we had, I don't like their chances.

 

[Zippgunn]

Wonder how many of these threads will be created...

 

[Zombotron]

Wonder how many of these threads will be created...

I'm gonna guess... a lot. Because Jim Benning is incompetent and has done a lot of incompetent things

 

[PuckMunchkin]

The complete and utter mismanagement of Utica. Jim Benning could not care less about the Canuck's farm team.

I mean we haven't really put anyone there prospect wise to be developed but if we had, I don't like their chances.

I think we have... Nobody gets better there.

 

[yvrtojfk]

There's too many to choose.

 

[ginner classic]

Wonder how many of these threads will be created...

I am going to go to 10 and rank based on votes in the 10th poll the remaining (dis)honourable mentions.

 

[Javaman]

Wonder how many of these threads will be created...

I think we easily get 20 threads. And there will still be good reasons for multiple options.

As tradervik already pointed out, the list above doesn't even include the Nilsson/McKenna/DiPietro goalie fiasco.

 

[Cogburn]

Miller has yet to play a single game for us, and yet he is the 7th worst move Benning made? Out of that buffet of bad moves, one that hasn't even played out, to any extent, is the worst?

I'm almost siding with the apologists for that, eesh.

 

[ginner classic]

Things not listed in the poll...

Potential inclusion in rankings
Kassian handling and eventual trade for Prust
Larsen trade
Pedan trade
Linus Karlsson trade (Dahlen)
Schaller contract
Matt Bartkowsi contract
Michael Del Zotto contract
Ryan Miller contract
Baertschi contract
Not resigning Brad Richardson
Goalie apocalypse 2018-2019

Not included in rankings
Baertchsi trade - for me this is still a loss, but most don't feel this way. We should not have been trading 2nd rounders for players that could end up on waivers. I'd rather Rasmus Andersson or Kylington. At a minimum we overpaid
Not trading Tanev - Will not get included as we have never had any indication of a strong offer that we rejected. Obviously, this is one of the very worst things Benning has screwed up.
Not firing Delorme - This is a bit too negative, even for me.
Attempted trades of the 2015 1st (for Lucic), 2016 1st (for Subban), 2019 1st (for Barrie)
Failed attempt at signing Lucic
Strategy - Not preparing a full on rebuild plan in July 2015 (after the Flames loss)
Strategy - Not investing heavier in analytics and actually using them to inform decision making
Strategy - Not replacing and expanding pro scouts
Strategy - Drafting by need
Strategy - Not weaponizing cap space to acquire picks
Strategy - Not signing UFAs to 1 year deals to be traded at the deadline

 

[Javaman]

I keep going back and forth between multiple options, mainly because I can't decide which general trend/theme is a more serious problem for the Canucks.

Is it the unnecessarily expensive contracts for players Benning has incorrectly identified as high value players? (Sutter, Gubranson etc)?

Is it the incessant bleeding away of assets, whether by overpaying to get a certain player or by clinging on to players when they should have been moved? (Sutter trade, Forsling trade, non-trades of R. Miller, Hutton, Tanev, Sutter etc)

Or is the "fish rot from the head down" syndrome that seemingly infests the front office? (Wiesbrod hiring, tampering charges, etc)

I think I'll go with the bleeding away of assets since a competent GM would have done a rebuild.

Sutter trade it is.

As always, I reserve the right to future waffling and then changing my vote

 

[Javaman]

Things not listed in the poll...

Potential inclusion in rankings
Kassian handling and eventual trade for Prust
Larsen trade
Pedan trade
Linus Karlsson trade (Dahlen)
Schaller contract
Matt Bartkowsi contract
Michael Del Zotto contract
Ryan Miller contract
Baertschi contract
Not resigning Brad Richardson
Goalie apocalypse 2018-2019

Like I said, 20 threads easily....

Not included in rankings
Baertchsi trade - for me this is still a loss, but most don't feel this way. We should not have been trading 2nd rounders for players that could end up on waivers. I'd rather Rasmus Andersson or Kylington. At a minimum we overpaid
<snip>

The Baertschi trade has always struck me as a good trade that the Canucks may still end up losing.

Getting a player who puts up decent production for a 2nd line winger is good value for a second round pick, IMO. I think we'd all consider it a win if Lind turns out to be as good as Baertschi.

On the other hand, the Flames win the trade if Andersson goes on to be a fixture in their top 6 defense for the next decade while Sven is forced to retire due to concussion concerns.

This isn't a trade that I would criticize Benning for, personally.

*Edit: but you're right about the waivers angle. It still puts this trade way down the list for me lol

 

[vancityluongo]

It'd be fun to hit 25 threads, sum them up in a post and then spam @fr_aquilini with the link to that post. Haha

 

[timw33]

First ever retroactive NTC and highest paid non-35+ point scorer ever.

 

[Javaman]

First ever retroactive NTC and highest paid non-35+ point scorer ever.

So what you're saying is... Benning is a trailblazer?

 

[shottasasa]

Forsling/Clendening trade. I’m still mad about it. The age gap theory and Cledening’s obvious blindingly obvious flaws grinds my gears.

 

[Intangibos]

Miller Trade, Sutter Trade, Virtanen Draft and Utica in that order IMO

 

[Megaterio Llamas]

Miller has yet to play a single game for us, and yet he is the 7th worst move Benning made? Out of that buffet of bad moves, one that hasn't even played out, to any extent, is the worst?

I'm almost siding with the apologists for that, eesh.

It's isn't Miller, he's a decent player on a reasonable contract. It's the idea of a bottom feeder that thinks it's about to turn the proverbial corner trading away a first round draft choice. I mean, we just saw this strategy burn the Ottawa Senators a couple of weeks ago.

I've been voting for the Miller trade from the beginning.

 

[Frankie Blueberries]

JT Miller trade is too soon to judge but looks pretty bad already; still, he could become a great player for us and fits a need at least.

Virtanen pick for me, results already look pretty bad.

 

[Cogburn]

It's isn't Miller, he's a decent player on a reasonable contract. It's the idea of a bottom feeder that thinks it's about to turn the proverbial corner trading away a first round draft choice. I mean, we just saw this strategy burn the Ottawa Senators a couple of weeks ago.

I've been voting for the Miller trade from the beginning.

That's what I'm getting at. Maybe it was the last push we needed to not be a joke anymore.

Eriksson, the various firings and hiring, Sutter, Gudbranson, including picks in every single trade until very recently....those are all moves that have done more to contribute to our sad state of affairs then a gamble. It could be a big one, but there is still some possible upside. Most of the other moves don't have that, and some never did.

 

[Megaterio Llamas]

That's what I'm getting at. Maybe it was the last push we needed to not be a joke anymore.

Eriksson, the various firings and hiring, Sutter, Gudbranson, including picks in every single trade until very recently....those are all moves that have done more to contribute to our sad state of affairs then a gamble. It could be a big one, but there is still some possible upside. Most of the other moves don't have that, and some never did.

Yes, this is all true enough, but the Miller trade has the potential to be the signature blunder in Benning's tenure here as gm.

And it's no long shot either; we have been a very, very bad team for the past four seasons and the improvement that this trade hinges on is hypothetical.

 

[PuckMunchkin]

Miller has yet to play a single game for us, and yet he is the 7th worst move Benning made? Out of that buffet of bad moves, one that hasn't even played out, to any extent, is the worst?

I'm almost siding with the apologists for that, eesh.

Foresight.